Rubber heel



D. D. SMITH RUBBER HEEL April 27,1926.

Filed August 28, 1924 Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID n smrrn, or HOLLYWOOD, camronumf RUBBER HEEL.

Application filed August 28, 1924.. Serial No. 734,643.

consistsof the novel features herein shown,

described and claimed.

The leading object is to make a rubber heel having inherent qualitiesand shapes calculated to resist slipping on a pavement, or the like.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawings andspecification.

The drawings illustrate a rubber heel embodying the principles of myinvention.

I Figure 1 is a perspective of the rubber heel bottom side up.

Fig. 2 is a to plan view as indicated by the arrows 2 in igs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation asJindiOated by the arrows 3 in Fig. 2. s

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation on the lines 44 ofFigs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a verticaLcross section on the line 5-5 of Fig.2.

The'details and features of the rubber heel shown in the drawings are asfollows:

The rubber heel 1 may be cast of the usual material in the usual way,and the vertical 'faces2 and 3 may be of the usual forms. The

bottom face 4 is perfectl flat and the usual nail holes 5 are forme fromthe bottom face 4. The upper face 6 is dished inall A recess 9 isformed-from the face 4, the

vertical wall 10 surrounding the recess being located substantiallyequi-distant from the lower edge 11 formed by the meeting of a II thevertical face 2 with the flat faced, so that the contacting surfaceformed by the face 4 is U-shaped. The lower face 12 forming the to ofthe; recess 9 is substantially parallel with the bottom 13 ofthe'dished,

upper face, and the bottom face 12 is highest from the face 4 at theextreme, back of the recess 9, and said face 12 is flat and in* clinesfrom the highest point 14 forwardly and downwardly until at theextremeforward edge 15 the face 12 is in the same plane as the face 4.

When the'heel has been applied to suitable footwear and the footwear isin the operation of walking, the extreme rear portion 16 of the heelwill strike the pavement first and will be compressed more or less bythe weight of the operator, and as the foot drops forwardly the air orwater in the recess 9 willbe forced forwardly, the U-shaped surface 4being gradually compressed from the rear to the front to reduce theheight of the surface l2 and when the foot comes down flat uponthepavement, the recess 9 will becompletely enclosed by the edge 15pressing upon the-pavement and more or less of a vacuum will be formedin the recess 9 as the weight upon the heel is lessened, alnd thisaction will reduce the tendency to 's 1p.

Furthermore, the shape of the flat surface 4 'havingthe. sharp edges 11all the Way around the back and sides, the edge 15 at the front, and theedge 10 around the recess 9 are wellcalculated to grip the pavement, andmder fair conditions there will be no slipping, and under extremeconditions thetendency to slip will be reduced to a minimum.

As the pressure of the operators foot moves forwardly from the initialcontact at the rear of the heel, the material above the face 12 andbetween the faces 12 and 13 will be depressed until the weight of theoperator passes to the ball of the foot, and then the pressure-will'besomewhat reduced, allowing the face 12 to resume its normal position,

thereby increasing the suction action to hold the surface 4.- upon thepavement.

Various changes may be made without decla' I claim: I

1. A rubber heel body, the upper surface of which is dished providing arim along'the sides and along the back of the heel, the bottom surfaceof the body beingflat and being adapted to rest flatly against a walkingsurface,-there being' a recess formed in the bottom surface which isequi-distant from the sides and rear of the body, the top surface of therecess being downwardly and forwardly inclined toward the front of theheel with the forcomprising a heel-shaped parting from the spirit of myinvention as ward end of the top surface of the recess beingsubstantially flush with the bottom surface of the heel.

2. A rubber heel comprising a. heel-like body, the bottom surface ofwhich is flat and which is adapted to rest flatly against a walkingsurface, there being a recess formed in the bottom surface which isarranged equidistant from the sides and rear of the heel, the recesshaving its top surface downwardly and forwardly inclined toward thefront of the heel, the forward end of the top surface of the recessbeing substantially flush with the bottom surface of the heel, wherebywhen pressure is applied to the heel so as to compress it, any fluidwhich may be within the recess will be forced outwardly through itsforward end, and when the pressure is released, a partial vacuum may beformed therein, thus preventing slipping.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

D. D. SMITH.

